Cascading foliage tones down sterile concrete look

Photograph by: Suzanne Rowe
, The Gazette

The reason why this homeowner sent me this photo was because he felt that the commercial stone block surfaces were too overpowering and looked sterile due to their large volume. Indeed, these grey walls needed softness that could be acquired by just a few cascading natural elements.

In the raised bed at the end of the driveway, the two evergreens and other vegetation could be moved to the backyard. For a waterfall effect, three long vines will seem to pour from a trio of medium-size fountain-like ornamental grasses. These will need a well drained soil. In winter, the dried golden grasses will still look decorative and animated with their soft plumes and graceful arched leaves that sway in the slightest breeze. They will need to be cut back in spring to start growing again. Over the wall near the street, a creeping Juniperus will give the impression of spilling over onto the road. Its colour will become purplish in winter.

A new bed will be formed from the right corner of the walkway on top and will follow the straight line of three Boxwood shrubs. It will then flow, changing its direction toward the lane. In a triangular formation, golden variegated Euonymus will surround the owner’s Prunus Tribola. This is a gorgeous miniature tree that the proprietor just recently bought. It has a multitude of tiny roselike blooms that cover the entire head. It can also be a monster, as my neighbour could attest to. After a few years, it started to develop long horizontal in-ground roots from which stems sprouted up all over his flower bed and his adjacent lawn. These even crawled under his wide concrete walkway to pop up several metres on the other side. He tried in vain to cut these back. I had never seen anything like that before. I was aware that Prunus Tribola, as other types of trees, often shoot off suckers close to the trunk. This is normal and these have to be pruned. I hope that our submitters’ specimen is more tamed.

A rectangular bed will be created under the big window near the foundation. A hedge of white flowering bushes will be planted in a row. In the existing flower bed on the top left side of the porch, planted in bunches, will live a series of perennials like the ever blooming light yellow Coreopsis Moonbeam, a few green and cream Pallida Aureo-variegata irises and several tall blue Delphiniums. Each Delphinium should be supported by a slim green bamboo and ought to be divided every two or three years for maximum flowering. A burgundy Weigela Wine and Roses bush with pink flowers will be placed near the left side of the porch. A long border of Campanula Muralis will hug the structure and take the edge off the angular blocks.

I’m not a fan of the white stucco, plaster or white painted mortar between the natural stones on the facade. With the contrast, it reminds me of a giraffe pattern. With a specialized mortar and concrete matte paint, the stark white outlines and the foundation below ought to be painted in a more natural cement colour or at least a medium warm grey like the paving blocks. The inky dark blue siding, chimney and main porch stairs will adopt a similar tint of warm grey in a matte finish except for the steps that should be semi-gloss. The front door will become charcoal in a slight sheen finish. For visual interest, 3- to 4-cm-square posts will form trellises between the four actual columns that retain the extension of the roof. These should all be stained opaque white. In the same width as the longer stairway, generously sized slabs would prevent the breakage of high heels in the rough gravel. I also suggest, budget permitting, investing in a clean asphalt or paved stones resurfacing of the driveway. This would make all the difference in the curb appeal.

All these changes can be done in stages. The priority would be the driveway, the planting in the abutting wall of the car entry and the existing raised flower bed on the left side of the porch as well as changing the tint of the mortar.

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